Friday, July 22, 2016

The long train and Lviv

Our Tuesday night started on the long train to Lviv - 15 hours to be exact.  From 9 PM Tuesday to noon Wednesday, we slept, ate and enjoyed conversation with one another.

Wirily we wondered into the Lviv train station and snaked our way to the entrance.  Lilya met us there.  Lilya would end up being the wife of Ihor who together were starting the IT Orphan Academy. She drove us to the hostel in the center of Lviv. There we experienced the very European life of hostel living. Shad, Grant Adam and I all shared a room with two bunk beds.

After a short rest Lilya picked us up and we went to the proposed site for the IT Orphan Academy. It was a beautiful site on the outskirts of Lviv. A gentleman from the Netherlands had been using it as an orphanage but all his orphan children got older so he was leaving and wanted to sell the facility. It was custom-made to have several children on one of five floors. 

There were five orphans that had made their way to the house (one via 30 hour train ride) and we together enjoyed a night of laughing, games and fellowship with these young men that would be potential students for the Academy.

The end of the day was a quick tour around the city center. The city is a beautiful old European style City. We enjoyed the fountains the old buildings and taking many pictures.

More pictures at: https://goo.gl/photos/BifppYnD2foGbpR87


Tuesday, July 19, 2016

What's in a name? - Reconciliation

Our Tuesday started with our traditional "wake Vlad up really early and go to McDonald's" routine! After him rushing to our hotel in a taxi (an act reserved for true emergencies as natives usually take the bus or walk), we ventured to "Mac" and devoured our DOUBLE sausage egg McMuffins.

Imagine the heat McDonald's would take if in the US they had those puppies on the menu (probably around 2,000 calories)? Oh well, I guess Ukraine is ok with their people making their own decision to consume that many calories vs. the FDA coddling, "be careful, that is a lot of calories - and your hot coffee will be... hot!"

A short bus ride later, we met back at the hotel.  We loaded up the van and headed over to the orphanage for "invalids" - the last stop for these "in-valid" people before spending the rest of their lives at places like Burie Ugili.

This pleasant center has seen much foreign mission work and dollars so it was well kept and quite beautiful.  But more telling was the authenticity of the worker's care for these most helpless of society. We were advised to keep our picture taking to a minimum as some previous groups have done so and wrote (out of context) scathing reports of "abuse" of these special needs children.

It is true that some were gently tethered to their beds to protect themselves from themselves - to prevent out of control scratching, biting, fighting and worse. These children had the worst of the worst physical deformations and/or mental deficiencies, which life in America shields us from imagining much less seeing and engaging.

A stoic caretaker took us in groups of three (plus a translator) around the center and let us interact with the children. Old to young we were able to see a majority of the center - a privilege, as most groups have not developed such trust to be taken behind the scenes and are relegated only to the play room.

So what do you say to a young child racked with horrific mental and physical handicaps? How do you reconcile the injustice that a God could let this happen?  Where do these children fit into your worldview?

With a happy smile, Adam and I simply went around to as many as we could, said hello (in Russian) and then gently bent over them to look them in the eyes to softly say, "I came from America to tell you Jesus loves you." 

As I choked up thinking about Jesus' love for these children I was occasionally met with a slight contorted smile. The same Jesus that would take me, a helpless orphan from Vietnam,  raise me in America, and then allow me the privilege to go to Ukraine to tell others about Him whispered in my head, "Jason, I first loved you so you could love others in my Name." - it came clear that this situation fits perfectly into His eternal perspective...

Wrapping up in the play room, we colored, played ball and showed pictures to some higher functioning children.  What a blessed time as the children showed us that love, joy and happiness are the universal language of Jesus Christ!

Our next event was the capstone course for the grads - their speaches/testimonies to the group.

We began the session with more public speaking 101 tips.  A college course in itself, we were able to provide them these valuable life skills for future interviews and engagement with their world.

Starting with Kyryl (my guy), they each made their speach. After group feedback we moved to each graduate. I was extremely proud of Kyryl and Shasha as both young men had taken the exercise very serious and had done a great job.  Ukrain's future is bright with young men and woman such as them.

Our time ended with an abreviated version of my testimony. In what ended up in a tear-filled, choked up discussion, I attempted to give them an "orphan to orphan" message of hope.

Hope not because we're survivors of a lack of pedigree or government programs, but hope in the fact that Jesus loves.  Jesus loves each one of us and gave us unique stories to tell and engage with the world! 

He is in the business of reconciling the invalids, the handicapped and orphans to Him - and often times through and because of these same people...


More pictures at: 
https://goo.gl/photos/5xKcE7XzKogKf85i7

A Monday Like No Other

Close your eyes and imagine the deepest predujice you may have. A neighbor? A habit? A culture? A color of skin?  That is what our Ukrainian Spero Group team faced today.  The minority Gypsy population about a 25 minute drive from downtown put us all on high alert, God loves EVERYONE.

In a deep seated fear and destain for the poor Gypsy population, typical Ukrainians have nothing to do with these "Samaritans" on the outskirts of "their" city.  But only as God can do, He forced us to face these feelings and to be His hands and feet to these people; also His creation.

Over the last year, the team has spent countless hours working with local pastors to gain the trust to bring us foreigners along for a VBS-style morning with these 50+ kids. Stories, snacks, Sunday school songs (with hand motions, of course), paper airplane building instructional, water games (in the sweltering heat) and spinning games were all designed and executed to tangibly demonstrate the love of Jesus to these forgotten people.

In a "mission accomplished" moment after the event, one of the Ukrainian team members, Vlad, said, "...and now I love Gypsy kids I don't even know!"  If that is not the transformative power of Jesus Christ, I don't know what is...

I can still see the pentatrating eyes, bright smiles and hear the laughter of these four to 15 year olds.  I think I now understand better why Jesus would say, "bring the little ones to me."

After lunch (more mall food; surprise, surprise), we made our way back to the hotel to freshen up for our second life plan session with the grads.

The session began with us breaking off into our groups - Kyryl, Shasha, Vlad (our translator) and I met back up in our room.

After a few pleasantries, they each gave a dry run of their testimony to me with Vlad translating. To my expectant surprise, they both had thought through and prepared very thoroughly the night before.  After a few points of feedback (as with any public speaking dry run) Kyryl and Sasha were ready to go for tomorrow!

The night ended with more pizza, more laughing and a positive recount of the day's events. 

For my observation, I gave kudos about who as a  team they had become. It was truly amazing and an honor to see how this group of six orphans (and Tanya) who just two short years previously could not even speak English well, come together to translate, to transform and to effectively tell of Jesus' love to those in their community. AMAZING!

If only we in America could focus on the main message a little more and on HIS love A LOT more how much better our society would be?

More pictures at: https://goo.gl/photos/8eAziBzB5sGFVY9B6

Monday, July 18, 2016

A Productive Sunday

Sunday started out with a wonderful church service.  A local and long term missionary from Canada and his wife gave a simple message of hope and salvation to the standing room only group of about 40 people; a majority were local Ukrainians that they have been ministering to for years.   As I had visited there two years ago, it struck me that God is working great things all over the world. His love knows no borders!

After a little lunch we made our way to Burie Ugili; the center for older, long term disabled men (and a few woman). In the pictures here and in the attached link, Burie Ugili is a place that demands every Christian think introspectively on what God really means to them; it demands action!

With some of the toughest (yet greatly improved) conditions, this center houses some of God's truly forgotten. With no legal rights, these people and sent there to spend the rest of their days in solitary away from society and with "their own kind".  Spero Group, in partnership with other missions organizations, has invested time and energy there to ensure these men don't stay forgotten.

Armed with a box of bananas (a special treat for them), hugs and a few children's Sunday school songs (in Russian, of course) we set out among them to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

One of the more special times for me was when my travel companion and oldest son hand fed a man with horrific physical deformations a banana. When we recounted the experience, we both agreed that would be where Jesus would have hung out.

After experiencing other unique sites, smells and sounds we congregated back in the pavilion and was led into Sunday school songs (hand motions and all) with these disabled men. Not knowing all of the songs, especially because they were sung in Russian, I was particularly moved by the singing of Jesus Loves Me.  When you are able to sing these timeless clasics with the lowest of society, it reminds you of how simple Jesus' message really is - "come to me".

A trip through the kitchen that Spero helped renovate and a few hugs later we said good bye, for now. We will be back!

The final part of the day was spent with the graduating orphans. 15 or so arrived by invitation and we began the process of coaching them in developing a life plan. Seemingly simple items like having a goal and dream, or how to introduce yourself to writing down your testimony were components of our discussion.

The grads were split up and assigned to each of the mission team individuals. I was given Shasha and Kyryl - both shy, gentle young men and orphans.  We spent time in our hotel room talking about who they were and what they wanted to be and do. I attempted to guide them to write down their testimony and they really got it.  I gave them their assignment to finish their testimony.

Maybe one of the most gratifying parts of the trip to date was as we were sitting as a mission team at the end of the day and talking about our impressions, Vlad (my translator and a childhood  friend to Shasha and Kyryl from the orphanage) noted that for the first time, he saw some hope in his "brothers" and friends. 

I don't know who's getting more out of this trip, me or them? 

When God gives you the opportunity to make a difference and He allows you to actually do it, it doesn't get any better!


More at: https://goo.gl/photos/R3Ss9QmGoQMV34qH8

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Great first day

Saturday started out with a clasic, McDonald's! No trip to a foreign country is complete without McDonald's...

Then we headed out to the the Summer camp area where the orphans from Orphanage #9 spend the summer.  There we met up with 30-40 middle and high school aged orphans and enjoyed a picnic lunch with them - roasting little smokies over the open fire - nevermind it was about 100 degrees!  Many of these kids remembered us (especially Shad) from previous trips.  It was a fantastic time to fellowship and get to know them a little better; laying a foundation for Spero Group's programs for older orphans.

After that we headed to town to kill a little time at the "mall" before we went to the next event.

Later in the afternoon we jumped back in our van and headed to a "park" where another 30-40 graduating orphans met us.  There we met them to begin engaging them to create life plans. After some BBQ chicken and more games, Tanya and Vlad (translating) gave a message of hope and promise in Jesus!

As I was listening, I was struck by the fact that we were in Ukraine listening to a message of salvation translated into English from a Ukrainian orphan (who we have the honor of working with since Spero began work in Ukraine). 

The night ended in a restful night's sleep!

Friday, July 15, 2016

Arrived and Ready to go!

Houston to Munich to Ukraine, no problem. We were fortunate to sail through all airports and lines smoothly.

And after a short (10 hour) train ride, we made it to Kyvero. Now we're sitting at a coffee shop enjoying a conversation with friends before we begin our week!

Pray for health, safety and open hearts.